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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · sharp · bark · squash · drill · mouse · bear · root

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bound — obliged
  3. drill — army training
  4. squash — to crush
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bark — to shout
  7. drill — a practice
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. root — of a plant
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. root — the cause
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. root — of a word
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. squash — the vegetable

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com